A portrait of the great Oriana Fallaci, but the least known onethat of his debut in journalism, from 1955 to 1959 in eight episodes (produced by Paramount Television International Studios and Minerva Pictures in association with Redstring): the first two episodes of the series by Luca Ribuoli, Giacomo Martelli, Alessandra Gonnella, of which he is protagonist Miriam Leonewere presented at the Rome Film Festival and will soon be on Rai1.
«It’s called Miss Fallaci because from here she will become Oriana – said the actress – . It is the coming-of-age story of a girl who discovers herself and tries to assert herself in her passion.” And according to Leone, it will be able to bring Fallaci closer «to the new generations who know little about her. “Anger and Pride” created a sort of damnatio memoriae about her, a great intellectual of the 20th century with a lot to say even today.”
An important and exciting role in «Miss Fallaci» is played by the Catanzaro actor Francesco Colellawho plays Alfredo Battistini, Oriana Fallaci’s superior. A character who might recall the Messina journalist Michele Serra, director of “L’Europeo” in the years in which Fallaci wrote there, but in reality representative of enlightened editors-in-chief. «It could be remotely inspired by Serra – Colella told us – although no specific similarity is being played with for the character».
An apparently severe man towards the young and unscrupulous editor, whose unusual talent he immediately senses, trying to break down the reservations of his deputy Carlo Morganti (Leonardo Lidi). «The fundamental ingredient of the character is his ability to welcome and understand. His conflicts with a strong woman like Fallaci are the color of their relationship, but ultimately Battistini does not oppose her, because he sees in her a rare and original narrative capacity. He knows that that talent can flourish and expand, he recognizes it, and this makes him a professional father.”
Over the course of the series, Battistini becomes an almost familiar figure for the young Oriana: «Over time he will transform into a confidant and a friend. The words they exchange have to do with work, but the little they communicate about Fallaci’s private sentimental life and pains reveals a great intuitiveness between the characters, and this will make him a point of reference for the woman.”
But what was the peculiarity that made Oriana Fallaci one of the greatest Italian journalists and writers?
«When he wrote you saw the journalist and the woman. His narration was extremely subjective and this gave value to the story, because his gaze was lucid, powerful, sometimes furious. I hope that the series manages not only to stimulate his memory, but also to make us reflect on how he would have commented on our contemporary society.”
So what could his pen have said in this painful and complex historical moment?
«Surely his narrative would have been opposed to the current one in the world, even in journalism, where most of the time there is a lack of thought, especially critical thought, in addition to the fact that I personally perceive a great removal. She would have made us aware, even through her voice, of the horrors of war, the pain, she would have told the best of the unscrupulousness, stupidity and cruelty of a certain power and it would have been nice to have her as a travel company even today. His capacity for opposition and his sentimental fury in narrating reality would have educated our gaze on the world.”
Meanwhile, Colella will play Don Calogero Sedara, antagonist of the Prince of Salina Don Fabrizio, in the highly anticipated series of “The Leopard”, streaming on Netflix in 2025, in the role played by Paolo Stoppa in Luchino Visconti’s film.